Misdreavus, The Screech Pokémon. It likes playing tricks such as screaming and wailing to startle people at night. It loves to bite and yank people's hair from behind just to see their reaction. It loves to watch scared people. It frightens people with it's creepy cry. It uses it's red spheres to absorb the fearful feelings of it's targets and uses them as nutrition

Battle Moveset

A Good Moveset for Misdreavus would have to be this:

Attacks:

Calm Mind
Thunderbolt
Psychic
Hidden Power Ice

Items Attached:

Salac Berry or Petaya Berry

Preferred Nature:

Timid

Strategy Using Misdreavus

Misdreavus has potential with quite a few possible movesets. But, Misdreavus has been commonly given a cheap moveset. Well, this isn't going to be shown here.

The aforementioned moveset works with its strengths. Misdreavus's special stats and speed are all at a base of 85, and with the fact it can learn calm mind, which boosts both special attack and special defense, its a good choice for a special sweeper.

Now, Hidden power does make a reappearance in this moveset as it will combo well with Thunderbolt, however, if you don't have the patience to breed Misdreavus till you get HP Ice, then I suggest the Thunderdancer moveset, which is:

Calm mind, Rain dance, Thunder, Psychic, although this moveset has limitations and if you do want to use a Thunderdancing Misdreavus, but want an extra move(and can be bothered to breed for the right HP), replace calm mind with HP water

Misdreavus is a pure ghost pokemon and probably won't last a hit from a strong Physical sweeper with Shadow ball, watch out for those pokemon. If you feel that Misdreavus is up against an opponent it won't last against, then switch.

Misdreavus's defense is probably were its major weakness lies, and your opponent will take advantage of its low defense. The reason HP is considered in the main moveset is due to the simple fact that Misdreavus's movepool is quite small.

Also, HP Ice could be replaced with a different move such as confuse ray which will also help give you extra time to pull off a few calm minds.

Don't forget about Misdreavus's levitate ability, which allows it to avoid Ground type attacks, and especially that quite common move: earthquake. This allows Misdreavus slightly more battle time if you're opponent is foolish enough to make the mistake of using earthquake.

If you don't want your opponent powering up, maybe replace HP Ice with taunt which only allows your opponent to launch attacks(although if its a physical sweeper you're up against, I would advise against this.)
Overall, Misdreavus may not be as powerful as some of its other ghost counter-parts, like Gengar or Dusclops, but it is still a pokemon you can use, and well too.

EV Corner:

Max out the EVs in Speed & Special Attack for Misdreavus with any remaining in HP

Strategy Against Misdreavus

Misdreavus's Physical Defense is weaker than it's Special so either go with Super effective like Dark or Physical attacks and it'll be down in no time

Contest Moveset

A good Contest Moveset for Misdreavus would have to be this for the Cool Contest best with Lonely, Adament, Naughty or Brave Nature:

Attacks:

Rain Dance
Thunder
Thunderbolt
Perish Song

Items Attached:

Red Scarf

Strategy Using Misdreavus

If you do the attacks in this following order you should have very few problems; 1st - Rain dance, 2nd - Thunderbolt/Thunder, 3rd - Rain dance, 4th - Thunderbolt/Thunder, 5th - Perish song

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire

Trade from C/FR/LG

Colosseum

Snatched From Rider Vant in Pyrite City

Fire Red/Leaf Green

Island 5 Cave (Leaf Green Only)

Animé Appearences

Misdreavus has had several Animé Appearences. First, Dani used it to battle Yoshi and to prevent Team Rocket from capturing Raikou. After that, a trainer used it to try and capture Entei. After that, a Misdreavus got caught under a fallen tree and after that, It was used in a Contest.